BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Knolly Delirium
After a few years hiatus, the Knolly Delirium is back and burlier than ever. Now fully in the Freeride / Park realm, the new Delirium gets mixed wheels, 190 mm of rear travel, dual crown compatibility, and updated geometry. Check out our First Look for more.
‘Feel It All’ with Drew Petersen & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.18)
We talk with Drew Petersen about his new running film / ski movie / documentary about some topics that are far bigger than skiing, running, and outdoor sports in general.
Flash Review — Knolly Fugitive 140
It had been a long time since we’ve been on anything from Knolly, but we’ve started spending time on the Fugitive 140 — so how does their mid-travel, most versatile bike stack up? Check out our early impressions.
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2024-2025 Folsom Rotor
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Folsom Rotor ski.
Cars vs. Bikes (Ep.317)
Cyclists injuries and deaths from auto collisions are on the rise, so what’s being done to address this? We talk to the lead engineer of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) at General Motors, who works on bicycle detection technology to help keep cyclists safer on the roads.
Deep Dive: 2024 Norco Optic
We compare the Norco Optic to the Transition Smuggler, Deviate Highlander II, Norco Sight, Canyon Spectral 125, Chromag Darco, Santa Cruz Tallboy, Rocky Mountain Element, Yeti SB135, and Revel Rascal V2.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
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2024 Norco Optic
Norco did a lot to spearhead the recent resurgence of high-pivot bikes, but it still caught a lot of people by surprise when they moved their 125mm-travel Optic to the layout. So how has it panned out? Check out our Full Review for our take.
Specialized Status 2
The Specialized Status 2 presents some big updates over the outgoing one, with new geometry, more adjustments, and new S0 sizing for shorter riders and young guns. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Flash Review: 24/25 Atomic Maverick 105 CTI & Maverick 115 CTI
Update 7.19.24: Luke Koppa adds some of his thoughts on Atomic’s new powder ski, the Maverick 115 CTI.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
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A Novel Twist on Wool w/ Nuyarn CEO, Andy Wynne (Ep.305)
It’s a bold goal to change something that’s remained largely the same for decades (if not centuries), and come up with something truly better. That’s what Nuyarn claims they’ve done with their unique method of spinning wool for technical fabrics, and we got all the details from their CEO, Andy Wynne.
Win Sandals From Tread Labs
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get any pair of Tread Labs sandals!
Neko Mulally on the Upcoming Frameworks Enduro Bike, DH Bike Testing & More (Ep.231)
Neko Mulally is getting ready to offer his Frameworks Enduro bike for sale, so we sat down to hear about its development; discuss the various DH frame variants Neko has been testing; talk about the expanded Frameworks team and how Neko’s approach to his own racing has evolved; and a lot more.
Flash Review — Spot Mayhem 140
The Spot Mayhem 140’s suspension layout doesn’t look like anything else out there, but how does it ride? Check out our early impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
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How to Design (and Own) a Well-Crafted, Affordable Home, with Zack Giffin (Ep.47)
These days, owning a beautiful home is often prohibitively expensive, while “affordable” housing too often fails to include quality craftsmanship. But there is a solution, and Zack Giffin reminds us of this and discusses the craft of designing smaller structures that address our true needs.
‘Breaking Away’ with Jonathan Ellsworth & Simon Stewart (Ep.17)
Breaking Away features one of the biggest and coolest bike races ever (the Little 500) while also doubling as a fantastic coming-of-age film. So in honor of its 45th anniversary, Jonathan & Simon debate what’s aged the best; discuss its most rewatchable scenes; and Simon drops the hottest of Hot Takes.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Powder Ski Comparisons: Old vs New vs What Should Be Next? (Ep.320)
The snow’s been falling, and we’re already fantasizing about those really deep days. So today, Paul Forward and Jonathan Ellsworth make the case for wide pow skis, then they talk about a bunch of current pow skis, old pow skis, and some design specifics they think are good ideas.
EXTENDED: Win Antti Ollila’s Ski & Boot Setup
The winner of this week’s Gear Giveaway will win the Prodigy 3 ski from Faction and the fs 01 120 boot from phaenom Footwear, the go-to setup of Finnish freestyle skier Antti Ollila!
3-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
Rounding out Part Three of our reviewers 3-ski quiver picks, we hear from Kristin Sinnott and Jonathan Ellsworth — check out their selections and let us know what your ideal 3-ski quiver would look like!
‘Inner Boots’ vs. Liners in Ski Boots | ZipFit 2025 Lineup Video
Several of our reviewers have used a single pair of ZipFit “inner boots” for hundreds of days, as have many pro and everyday skiers around the world. But how exactly do they accomplish that, and what makes them different from a regular boot liner? In this video from Blister Summit 2024, we get answers from ZipFit’s Jeff Colt.
Deep Dive: Knolly Fugitive 140
We compare the Knolly Fugitive 140 to the Santa Cruz Hightower 3, Trek Fuel EX, Revel Rascal V2, Santa Cruz Bronson, REEB Steezl, Rocky Mountain Instinct, Transition Smuggler, Norco Optic, Deviate Highlander II, Forbidden Druid V2, Norco Sight, Yeti SB140, Banshee Phantom V3, and Propain Hugene.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(If you’re already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)
Knolly Fugitive 140
We’ve had a couple of reviewers riding Knolly’s updated Fugitive 140, and it stands out from the mid-travel Trail bike market in a few interesting ways — not an easy task in that typically “jack of all trades, master of none” category. Here’s our Full Review.
Casey Brown on the Inaugural Women’s Red Bull Rampage (Ep.246)
Red Bull Rampage finally, belatedly, included a women’s category this year — and it was outstanding. Casey Brown arguably did more than anyone else to get her foot in the door, and to smash it down for others to follow, so we sat down with her to hear all about it. Don’t miss this one.
Stuff We Like: October 2024
This edition of Stuff We Like includes some excellent camera-friendly outdoor gear, several shoulder-season layering pieces, two of our bike editors’ favorite grips, and more. Check it out to see all the latest gear our reviewers have been digging.
Diner Coffee, Sour Beers, Well-Done Steaks, Putting Greens, & Brand Building with Alex LeBlanc of Calibration Coffee Lab (Ep.51)
Last year, we talked with Alex LeBlanc about starting Calibration Coffee Lab in Greenville, South Carolina. Today, Alex is back to talk about how it’s going, what he’s been learning, how his thinking about coffee has evolved, and how he’s trying to build a brand that people will love.
Michelin’s New Enduro and DH Tires
Michelin gave their Enduro and DH tire lineup a big overhaul this year, and we’ve been spending time on the whole range of models. Here are our thoughts on the new Wild Enduro MH, Wild Enduro MS, Wild Enduro Rear, DH 16, and DH 22.
‘Downhill Racer’ with Daron Rahlves & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.28)
55 years ago today, the movie ‘Downhill Racer’ came out, starring two legendary actors, Robert Redford and Gene Hackman. The film critic Roger Ebert calls this “the greatest sports movie ever made,” and today, we’re discussing it with one of the greatest American downhillers of all time, Daron Rahlves.
Natural Selection Tour Expands to Ski, Snowboard, Bike, & Surf Events
Big News: Travis Rice and the Natural Selection Tour have announced their most extensive development yet — the addition of ski, bike, and surf events. Here are the details.